Boy, 5, who died after being found unconscious in NYC apartment remembered as ‘beautiful soul’

A 5-year-old boy who died after he was found foaming at the mouth in his family’s Bronx apartment was the youngest of five being raised by their struggling dad who was facing eviction, his family told The Post.

De’Neil Timberlake, described by his grandfather as “a beautiful soul,” was pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital shortly after his father found him unconscious inside the apartment in Belmont around 3:30 am on Sunday, authorities said.

“He was a sweet child,” grieving grandfather Joseph James said. “He was sweet as hell. He didn’t cause any trouble. I’m broken-hearted right now.

“He liked playing with his brothers and sisters. He liked running, he liked jumping,” James said. “He liked to eat french fries and hotdogs. He loved to give hugs and he loved to smile.”

He defended De’Niel’s father, who was “doing his best” with his children.

“The father is not a bad person,” James said. “He lives here by himself with them. He takes care of three kids by himself. Most fathers don’t want to care for one.

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“It’s a tragedy. An accidental tragedy,” he said. “They make my grandson’s father look like a monster. It’s just wrong.”

No charges have been filed in the case.

The boy’s father, who was not identified, told police he put the tragic youngsters to bed and went to sleep around 10 p.m. then woke up in the middle of the night to find De’Niel unresponsive.

Paramedics responded and rushed the boy to the hospital two blocks away.

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Police sources said there were no signs of trauma.

“I used to see them every morning walking to school,” the building’s superintendent said. “He always said ‘hi’ to me.

“I used to give his father bags of clothes for him,” he said. “That guy struggled with those kids. He did his best. I have never seen him angry at them… screamed or raised his voice at them. He took care of them the best way he could.”

James told The Post that his grandson vomited while sleeping on his back and choked to death.

He also said his daughter, De’Niel’s mother, visits the children on holidays, and said the entire family gets together on special occasions.

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“He loved his mother and father,” he said of the dead boy. “He was his mother and father’s pride and joy. You know like how you have a mamma’s boy and you have a papa’s boy? He was a mama and a papa’s boy all in one.”

James also challenged reports that the apartment was “filthy.”

“They said the house was in disarray,” he said. “Of course it’s in disarray. They got an eviction notice. They are in the process of trying to figure everything out and trying to move out.

“This happened when it is in disarray because they were trying to get their stuff together and move out.”

The building super said all of his tenants were distraught over De’Niel’s death.

“We are still grieving right now,” one neighbor said. “We are still trying to process it.”

The youngster would have turned 6 in November.

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